Clean It Up
UK Floor Cleaning Forum => Carpet Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: Anna Ozog on December 28, 2007, 11:54:27 pm
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Hello everyone,
Could you give me some advice on pricing for commercial and private custs.
I am new to the forum and also to zarpet cleaning and don't want to be to cheap but also dont want to lose those who earn just national minimum but still want th have clean carpets. Is there any minimum (decent) price I can't go below. I feel that as a newbie I shouldn't charge to high but I also know that it is difficoult to rise prices in the future.
To sum up:
1. what would are your suggestions for a newbie to charge
2. do you charge companies higher/lower than private customers?
I appreciate any piece of advice
Anna
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Hello Anna
As a "newbie" can I ask you
what training have you undertaken?
what equipment do you have?
what cleaning fluids (chemicals) do you have?
You ask do you charge companies differently to private customers.
It all depends on the job in hand.
and thats why it is important to view the job before giving a quote.
Even carpets in a persons home can be different condition to their neighbours - enough so you want to charge differently.
Commercial carpets can vary a lot also.
Some commercial work may have a workshop attached and the feet of workers will dirty a carpet very much.
Would you charge the same as a fairly clean office 2 floors above ground level? Most probably not.
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That is a fair comment to a new poster..................but, by giving a bit more of yourself, will result in an avalanche of advice much of which will be in conflict, but will contain a lot ofpositive comments.
Rob
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Thank you for the replies.
will result in an avalanche of advice much of which will be in conflict, but will contain a lot ofpositive comments.
I'm aware of that diversity in pricing but still I'm looking for any directions
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Come on Anna........ tell us a bit about yourself.
Training
Experiance
Equipment
Cleaning fluids
for all we know you may be going to a job with a mop, bucket, some Fairy liquid and a wet vac to suck up the mess.
I am sure its not like that but tell us a bit about yourself and we will help as much as possible on the info you give.
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I am not the best person to answer you, as I believe that anyone, in any industry, has to prove themself before charging top, or even middle prices.
Some disagree and think you should charge what the market will stand, but in this service industry, there is so much that can go wrong and so many variables, not only in carpets, or textiles, but the type of machiney and vast array of chemicals, available, etc, etc.
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Carpet guy,
When I first started c/c it was impressed on me to charge a reasonably high price,
Why charge low? does the customer know you are just starting cleaning? I dont think so! , providing you have the confidence and the equipment charge a good price. ,cant see the point in been to low unless you want to work for next to nothing.
I charge no where as much as some on here , but I can assure you I would say I charge more than the vast amount of c/c .
In a nutshell, charge a decent price, dont undersell yourself, and if your unsure ask a mentor or seek advise on here.
thats what i did , and i have no regrets
geoff
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The poster has given no indication of experience, training, knowledge, business experience, or anything else.
If you brass neck it, you might be lucky, on the other hand, you might deliver a very poor quality of service. In which case, you would not deserve to get paid and that's being polite.
I get fed up with the chancer and con merchant attitude which is apparent in some postings. As has been said many times, by many people " Talk's cheap................show me the quality "
It's also often quoted that you can't raise prices, if you start low!
This is totally and utterly nonesensical crap. I increased my charges every year and my clients expected it to cost a little more each year.
If you increase by 5% per annum you will retain your clients and build a client base, which, if handled properly, will save massively, on marketing costs. I sugget you do the maths, by adding 5% to your current charge for a living room, then taking that total and doing the same again and again.
Nothing is more divisive than, what to charge and I have encouraged people to increase their charges, but by 5-10 percent and annually thereafter.
The people who say you should start high, are IMO encouraging "coyboyism" and giving the industry a bad name through their inexperience, which results in, low quality of work, but with high charges.
Exactly what's highlighted on TV'S rogue trader, type programmes.
Incidentally..............just havng the confidence and equipment does'nt make you a pro in any walk of life and to operate that way, is taking a huge risk with other peoples property.
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Once again thank you for your threads.
I have around 7 years of experience (together with my partner) in carpet cleaning but no certificates
At the moment I use Extracta Dx and a spotting machine plus chemspec and prochem cleaning agents. I also use m-power and pro mite when required.
My experience is from other european countries eg Germany so I'm not very familiar with GB standards. I know that here carpet cleaning is on higher standard so I will get some training in next couple of weeks to get more familiar with it.
My current carpet cleaning business has developed from regular domestic cleaning.
I hope that it helps.
Anna
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Sorry carpet guy,
forgot to put in knowledge :)
and if you have these ingredients , cant see a problem with charging a high price
geoff
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do you lot just like to hear your own voices, (put into print) look at the title of this post, stop blowing hot air and answer it ;) ;)
here I'll save you some time....
aim to earn £50-60 an hour and you won't go far wrong.
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Mike,
Finally strairghtforward answer.
Big thx
Anna
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Thank you Anna, sounds like you have varied experiance and I am sure you have a few stories you could tell, and maybe you would like to sometime.
Interesting you say the standards here are higher then elsewhere in Europe you have been.
Mike is correct in saying aim for £50-£60 per hour.
With your experiance you should be able to relate that to £ per square metre if you want to work that way, obviously more per metre for the very dirt/stained carpets.
If you want to offer "special" prices to attract customers, for whatever reason, then make sure they know it is a special price (meaning they may be paying more next time).
My personal advice is to always look smart, be polite, be punctual, and sound confident even when you are not.
look forward to more postings from you.
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Do market research.
Find out what your local cleaners charge.
Go on a course
You will get more if you do in house surveys before qouting.
But you may be happier doing telephone qoutes.
You will get less but you will not be traveling house to house.some of which will be no sales
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Anna,
Where are you based as that will influence your prices greatly.
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